


Brave New World: Lukanette Week 2019

by seasonofthegeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: stuck in a younger body, time travel hijinks, trying to fix the past to save the future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-13 12:15:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17487887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: During a losing battle with Hawkmoth and other forces, Paon sends Ladybug back in time five years to make different choices that might change things for the better.Written for the Lukanette Week event on MLShipFleet on tumblr :)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter was actually written a few months ago and I've decided to expand on it for this ship event! :)

“This is your chance to fix things.” Paon looked back at the glowing portal. “Make a different choice this time. It could make all the difference.”

Ladybug stared at the crumbling world around them and gave him a steady nod. “I’ll keep Hawkmoth from taking Chat. I won’t hesitate. I know what kind of monster he is now.”

“Be careful.”

She gave him a small smile. “I’ll try.” She glanced at their other teammates’ backs, holding off the onslaught of akumas. “Here’s to a brighter future,” she hoped, closing her eyes and stepping into the portal.

There was a jerk somewhere around her middle and a loud popping sound and then her back was slamming into a hard surface and she was sliding down to the ice cold ground.

Marinette blinked. She wasn’t transformed anymore and this definitely wasn’t the Agreste mansion. Her butt and upper back throbbed and she realized she was sitting on ice. That wasn’t right. Paon was supposed to send her back a few months to when Hawkmoth had stripped Chat Noir of his ring. She should’ve been staring down Gabriel Agreste, not–

Her heart stopped. A teenage Adrien was looking down at her hopefully, holding his hand out to help her up. He looked so young, so…different. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

Luka was there too, his hand reaching out by Adrien’s and Marinette had forgotten him like this. Had it really been that long ago?

She knew too much time was passing without action and opened her mouth to speak when Kagami slid between the boys and helped her up. Marinette hardly registered the words she spoke quietly in her ear. They hardly mattered now. This was all a ghost of a memory.

She made a quick excuse and escaped to the bathroom. She stared at her reflection in shock, a girl half a decade younger looking back at her. “Tikki?” she asked breathlessly, relieved when the kwami immediately zipped out from her purse. “Please tell me you know this isn’t right. We were supposed to go back a few months, not a few years!”

Tikki bowed her head. “I’m afraid Paon sent us back too far.”

“How do we undo it?!”

“I don’t know that we can, Marinette. We don’t even know where the Peacock Miraculous is right now and Paon won’t come to us for a few more years still. You were in university when he showed up, remember?”

“I can’t just stay like this! I don’t want to be a teenager again!” She glared at her reflection. “This is worse than what any akuma could do.”

“Marinette!”

“Well, it is!”

“You’re being too dramatic. Let’s look at it this way. There are lots of things we can change now. You know who Hawkmoth is, for one,” Tikki pointed out.

“Yeah, who Chat is too.” 

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. “Hey, Marinette, are you okay?” Adrien called.

“I’m fine!” she yelled back quickly and then lowered her voice. “Crap, crap, crap. This isn’t good. We don’t reveal ourselves for another couple of years. How am I supposed to pretend that long?!”

“You don’t necessarily have to,” Tikki mused. “Paon said to make different choices, right? Who knows what could change things for the better now!”

“So I should just go out there and tell Adrien that I’m Ladybug? That went over so well last time.” She rolled her eyes. “No, I need some time to think and decide what to change for the better between us.”

She heard Adrien calling her name as ice began to cover the bathroom. “I forgot about this guy,” she sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

It was interesting, being in her younger body again. She didn’t have quite the control and agility she was used to but it wasn’t bad. At least she hadn’t been thrown all the way back to her beginning as Ladybug. In this form, she had a decent handle on what she was doing. 

Chat Noir was angry at her and she was trying to remember why. Probably something with their relationship. It tended to be on and off. Wait. They didn’t know each other’s identities yet so there was no relationship. Ah, this was the time period when he couldn’t accept being friends then. That hadn’t been fun. He would get upset and then she would get upset and it was a vicious cycle they’d looped until maturity kicked in and things settled. Maybe she could change that this time around.

Frozer had been easy to take down even distracted as she was. It wasn’t long before the four teens were back in the skating rink and taking off their skates. Marinette watched Kagami. She’d never let herself get close to the other girl because of Adrien and that seemed so silly now. Even if they never became best friends, there was no reason they couldn’t be amicable. 

“I wanted to say thanks for helping me up earlier,” Marinette began, suddenly feeling shy. Great, so being in her younger body again also meant dealing with those pesky teenage feelings she thought she was past. 

“You looked like you needed it,” Kagami answered, eyeing her curiously. 

“I did. Not exactly graceful on these.” She lifted the skates in her hand with a small laugh. “I’d like to keep trying though. I had fun today. You sure look like you know what you’re doing out there.”

“My father used to take me ice skating,” she answered in a clipped tone that let Marinette know that wasn’t a topic allowed for further conversation.

“Ah, um, that’s nice then. Maybe you could help me sometime.”

Kagami frowned for a moment. “Maybe.”

“I feel like we got off on the wrong foot and I’d really like to change that,” Marinette smiled.

The other girl seemed to consider it and nodded. “I’m sure I could teach you how to stay upright at least.”

“That seems like a really good first step.”

“Hey, Marinette, are you ready?” Luka held out his hand to take her skates and she gave them to him with a flushed smile. 

“Thanks. See you around, Kagami. Bye, Adrien,” she called with a wave before turning to Luka. “Thanks so much for coming today.”

“No problem. It was a good time. Sorry about that fall,” he winced. “I guess I shouldn’t have let go of your hand, huh?” He reached for her hand with his free one and Marinette almost pulled it away but stopped herself. His hand was warm despite the cool room and she smiled as their fingers linked.

Why hadn’t this happened before? She couldn’t remember. Luka was cute and sweet. He could be a little odd but so could she. They returned their skates and walked out to the front of the building. 

Now she could remember.

She saw Kagami’s eyes cut to her as she and Adrien spoke by her car. Marinette watched her kiss his cheek and could feel the faint echo of jealousy and defeat. It wasn’t an intense feeling, more like an old memory you’re finally strong enough to take out, dust off, and look at without getting sad. Adrien watched her leave before going to his own car.

“You should go talk to him.”

Marinette blinked up at Luka in surprise. Right. It was almost falling back into place like a movie she’d watched before but she kept falling a scene behind. She’d chased after Adrien’s car with the intention of confessing her love. It’d been embarrassing and led nowhere. And…

She looked back up at Luka. He was smiling but it didn’t quite reach his eyes and he dropped her hand without her realizing. She’d never gone out with him again after that, had she? They saw each other around; they were friendly. But this was it. This was the moment that it was decided nothing would happen between them. 

“This is your chance to fix things.” Paon looked back at the glowing portal. “Make a different choice this time. It could make all the difference.”

“Actually, I was hoping we could ride home together? If you want,” she blushed. 

Luka’s eyes lit up and she saw a genuine smile overtake the one he’d been wearing before. “I’d really like that, yeah.” He took her hand again and Marinette squeezed his fingers gently, falling into step beside him.

Different choices, huh? This was going to be a brave new world.


	2. Music

“That one,” Marinette nodded, dropping her phone in her lap. “That’s the one that sounds the best.”

Luka smiled and strummed the guitar chord again. “You think so?”

“Mmhmm, it just flows really nicely from the last one, I think. Can you play them together again?” She listened as he did and hummed happily. “I think that’s it.”

“I think you’re right,” he agreed. “Thanks. I’ve been struggling with this one for a while.”

“Glad I could help.”

He set his guitar to the side and gestured to her phone. “Find what you’re looking for yet?”

“No,” she pouted. “Trying to find a post on here through tags is a nightmare sometimes. I might be able to work on the piece from memory. It was just an inspiring piece of art, that’s all.”

“If I can help, just let me know.”

“Do you have a lot of experience designing ballgowns?” she teased, easily leaning back into his arms when he prodded her.

“Well, no, not exactly. But I’m great at sharpening pencils and I could hold onto your eraser so it doesn’t get lost.”

“Truly a hero among designers.”

“I try.”

“I’ve still got time. The design entries aren’t due for another couple of months. I just wanted to get started,” she explained. “It’ll be fine.”

Marinette closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the moment. She could hear his heartbeat, steady and clear, and the boat rocked them gently enough that it wouldn’t take much to fall asleep, she decided.

She’d been back in this timeline for almost three months now and by all accounts, things felt successful enough and she was definitely making different choices this time around. It was funny what a difference it made when her world wasn’t colored by Adrien-centric glasses. It also didn’t hurt to know that he was Chat Noir. She remembered how long it had taken her to reconcile the two separate identities into one person the first time around. Surprisingly, she found she had more patience now with the knowledge. She still needed to figure out when to talk to him about everything. He had a right to know and maybe if she could warn him, things would go differently this time around. She knew she’d been putting it off but she still wasn’t ready. They had time.

Things with Luka had made her transition back into being a teenager so much easier. He was cheesy and dramatic at times but it felt endearing and familiar and so simple after all she’d been through. And in some ways, five years didn’t feel like that much of a difference. He was only three years younger than her really. She frowned. Was that right? She’d been twenty when Paon sent her back and now she was in her fifteen year-old body. So was she fifteen or was she twenty? Luka was seventeen now which meant in her previous timeline, he was twenty-two. Did that make a difference? It didn’t feel weird. And was her mind really still twenty or was she fifteen with the knowledge she gathered over five extra years? How did all of that work exactly?

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Luka kissed the top of her head and adjusted his loose hold on her. “I can practically see the steam rising.”

“Sorry. I think I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Anything you need to talk about?”

It was tempting to tell him. She needed someone other than Tikki to talk to about it but...

“No, I’m good.” She sat up and turned to face him. “Play me my song again?”

He smiled, light pink blushing his cheeks. “You aren’t sick of it yet?”

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

Luka had a pleased smile as he picked up his guitar once more.

“You have to sing too.”

“Marinette...” he whined.

“You’re a good singer!”

“I’m not. Those lyrics were just for you to read the one time.”

"But you have such a nice voice.”

“Is that so?”

“Mmhmm.”

She leaned back against the wall, tucking her feet under the blanket on his bed as he began to play. His voice was uncertain and slightly off-key but it made Marinette smile. 

“And we’ll enter this brave new world,” he sang, “hand in hand. Say you’ll be my girl and here I’ll stand. By your side, I’ll forever stay, in this brave new world that starts today.”


	3. Family

“You’ll be graduating at this end of this year, won’t you, Luka?” Sabine passed a plate of warm rolls to Marinette.

“That’s the plan,” he nodded.

“Any further schooling?” Tom spooned out another helping of roast beef before passing the dish to his wife.

Luka shot Marinette a slightly anxious look. “Not at the moment.” He pasted on a smile. “I already work part time at a music shop across the Seine and the owner has said he wants to bring me on full time as soon as I’m done with school.”

“Is that what you want to go into, music?”

Marinette reached over and squeezed Luka’s hand under the table. “Luka has been writing a lot of songs lately too. He’s hoping to maybe get to record some of them soon.”

Luka nodded. “Yeah, there is a little studio in the back of the shop and Henri said I can work in it after closing once I’m there full time.”

Tom gave him an appraising look. “And music is your passion?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good,” he smiled. “ I hope you do well at it.”

Marinette tried to hold in a giggle at Luka’s obvious relief as the tension drained out of him and he picked up his fork.  
__________________________

“That was stressful.”

Marinette laughed and cuddled against Luka as they lay stretched out on her balcony lounger. “You handled it like a champ.”

“I thought he was going to tell me I had to go to college,” he admitted with a nervous chuckle. “I’m going to be doing good to graduate as it is.”

“School’s not for everyone. Besides, my dad is a baker because he actually loves baking. I had a feeling things would be fine.”

“You could’ve let me know.” He tickled her side and then kissed her head. “I should probably get going. It’s getting late and I want your parents to keep liking me.”

“You know, despite the hair and piercings, you’re such a good boy,” she teased.

“I try.” He disentangled himself and they shared a kiss. “I’ll meet you in the morning for breakfast?”

“Sounds good. You want a ham and swiss croissant again?”

“Hmm, maybe something sweet this time. Surprise me.” He leaned in for one last kiss and pulled himself away. “Stay up here. I can walk myself out.” He looked up at the sky. “The stars are too pretty to be inside.”

She smiled up at him. “Goodnight, Luka.”

“Night, angel,” he winked before slipping down through the skylight.

Marinette adjusted to a more comfortable position since she had the lounger to herself now and looked up at the sky. The stars really were pretty tonight. She took in a deep, relaxing breath. Things felt right this time around. Everything before had been so hard. She still had secrets to keep but somehow being with Luka made it all feel simple.

She was surprised at how much she enjoyed living with her parents again. She and Alya had gotten a place together as soon as they graduated before and it had been great but getting the chance to come back home like this was something Marinette treasured. She didn’t realize how much she’d missed it.

A streak of black darting across rooftops in the distance caught her attention and she sat up a bit. Chat Noir must’ve decided to go for a run. 

“You have to tell him soon, you know,” Tikki reminded her, finally coming out from her hiding place in one of the flower pots.

“It’s going to be so hard.”

“You survived it once, Marinette. You’ll survive it again. And the sooner he knows, the better it will be!” Tikki put on an encouraging smile. “In this timeline, we might even be able to take down Hawkmoth before things escalate too much more.”

“I know.”

“Think of all the heartache you’ll save the citizens of Paris from!”

“Tikki, I know.”

The kwami settled in her holder’s lap. “What’s really bothering you about talking to Chat?”

Marinette tugged at the sleeve of her shirt, rolling the hem between her fingers. “The last time we revealed our identities, after the dust had settled and everything, that’s when we started dating.”

“And then you broke up. And then you started dating again. And then you broke up,” TIkki sighed. “And then--”

“I know, but things were so hard then. Adrien finding out about his mom and then about Gabriel...” She trailed off. “I just can’t do it again.”

“But it’s already going to be different, Marinette.” Tikki reached out to touch her hand. “You’re with Luka and he makes you happy, doesn’t he?”

She smiled. “He really does.”

“So see? There won’t be any confusing relationship feelings with Adrien this time around. You’ll both be able to do your jobs and retrieve the Butterfly Miraculous from Hawkmoth.”

“You’re right.”

“Then why do I feel like you aren’t convinced?”

Marinette frowned. “Tikki, I really do like Luka. He’s sweet and cute and fun and I just feel good when I’m with him.” She picked at the stitching on her sleeve. “But what if when I tell Adrien, when I tell Chat, we start spending more time together? So far, I’ve been limiting my interactions with him and things have been fine, but...”

“You’re afraid you’ll fall for him all over again.”

She shrugged half-heartedly. “I don’t know that I’ve ever really stopped loving him. And I hate that I’m even thinking this because I really do adore Luka. I could see us having such a good future.”

“He does seem good for you,” TIkki agreed. “You balance each other out nicely.”

“So you get it.”

Tikki gave her an understanding nod. “But you weren’t sent back here just to date Luka, you were sent back to save the world, to save everyone you love. I know it’s not fair but this is where we are. And I don’t think you can do that without Chat knowing everything that has happened.”

“I wish you didn’t sound so sure about it,” Marinette scowled.

“If it’s any consolation, I’m sorry this is bothering you. I really am.”

She sighed and laid back on the lounger. “I just need a little more time, Tikki. Just give me a little more time with Luka and then I’ll be ready.”


	4. Confession

“There’s something I have to tell you and it’s probably going to be a little bit of a shock.” Marinette took in a deep, calming breath. They had the houseboat to themselves and this was the best opportunity she was going to get for her confession.

“Is it that you’re Ladybug?” Luka asked, the corner of his lip lifting in half a smile. 

She blinked once, twice. “You...you know?”

“I was ninety-seven percent sure,” he nodded. “You always make really bad excuses about why you suddenly have to go when an akuma pops up and then you always say you got caught up in the fight and turned into a knight or a statue or something when you come back.” He laughed. “No one has luck that bad, angel.”

“You’d be surprised. When did you figure me out?”

“Not too long after we started dating. I thought you would tell me when you were ready.”

She flushed and covered her face with her hands. “It’s been months! I’ve made so many excuses since then; you couldn’t show a little mercy?”

He pulled on her hands and leaned forward to kiss her nose. “I wanted you to know you could trust me,” he shrugged. “Was that the wrong move?”

“No,” she shook her head. “No, it was a good move.”

“Good.”

Marinette sucked in another breath. “That’s not all though.”

“Okay, what else?”

“I’m not exactly me.”

Luka frowned. “I don’t think I know what that means.”

“That was a bad way to put it.” Marinette held one hand out. “So I’m me that you see right now.” She gave him an expectant look and he nodded in understanding. “And I’m also not.”

“You’re still losing me, Mari.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Alright, I’m going to try to be as simple as I can but this is going to sound crazy so just stay with me.”

“Okay, I can do that.”

She swallowed loudly and nodded. “So five years in the future, things kind of go really bad, like world-ending bad.”

“You’re saying you’re from the future?” Luka’s eyes were a little wider than before but not quite as shocked as she expected. “How is that possible?”

“Well, my mind and memories are at least,” she winced. “The first thing I remember from coming here from there is falling on the ice on our first date.”

He eyed her skeptically. “You’re not making this up, are you?”

“I promise I’m not.” She watched him work through it. “Are you okay?”

“I think I’m processing.”

“Okay, um, just let me know when you’re done then. There’s more.”

Luka blinked slowly and reached for his guitar. He began to strum a random tune for a while until it transitioned into the song he’s written for her. The strings finally stilled and he looked up at her. “I think I’m good. What else?”

“Can I just...” She leaned forward and kissed him gently, cupping his face. “Thank you,” she whispered. “You’re amazing.”

“Says my superhero girlfriend from the future. Wait, does this mean you’re actually older than me?”

Marinette’s face screwed up in confusion. “I have no idea honestly. I’ve been trying to figure it out but I don’t have an answer.”

He chuckled softly. “I can dig it either way.”

“Good to know.”

His expression turned serious. “You said there’s more?”

“I know who Hawkmoth is.”

“That’s, uh, that’s definitely more. Are you going to try to take him out now?”

“That’s the plan. It’s a little complicated though because,” she paused, wringing her fingers into the hem of her shirt, “well, Hawkmoth and Chat Noir are actually related and Chat Noir has no idea.”

“Wow,” he breathed. “That’s rough.”

“Yeah, he didn’t take it so great when he found out the last time. I mean, you know, my last time. The him now still doesn’t know.”

“That’s got to be confusing for you,” Luka frowned, “trying to keep track of two sets of memories.”

“It was at first,” she admitted, “but it’s gotten a little easier. Things have gone differently this time so it’s easier to separate things in my head.”

“How so?”

She felt her cheeks warm. “Well, you, for one.”

“We weren’t together before?”

“No. I missed out big time.”

He smiled. “I think I feel honored that you came back and immediately started dating me.”

“Hey! It’s not like I really planned it,” she laughed, grabbing the pillow behind her to chuck at his head. “I was just lucky it worked out that way.”

He dodged the pillow and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into him. Marinette collapsed against his chest with another laugh. “So you have to tell Chat Noir,” he said, voice soft as he held her against him once they’d both settled.

“Yeah. That part is not going to be easy.”

“You guys are close though, right?”

“We were, the last time. I’ve been kinda keeping him at arm’s length this time around.”

“Because of me?”

Sometimes she hated that he was so observant. “Because of a lot of things.”

Luka made a humming sound. “Gotcha.”

“I have to tell him soon though.” She snuggled in closer. “I don’t think I’ve been exactly fair about all of this. I got a little selfish.”

“We’re all selfish sometimes.” He held her tight. “You’ll let me know if there’s anything I can do to help?”

She nodded and rested her head against his chest. “Thanks.”


	5. Chat Noir Interlude

“Hey, is everything okay? You don’t usually message me to meet up like this.” Chat Noir scuffed the toe of his boot against the metal platform they were standing on.

“Uh, yeah, I know. Sorry.” Ladybug wrung her hands together. “I need to talk to you about something and it’s not going to be the easiest conversation.”

“I had a feeling. You’ve been kind of distant lately and then suddenly wanted to talk.”

“Yeah,” she winced. “Can we sit?”

He looked like he might argue for a minute but followed her lead to sit on the edge of the platform and swing their legs over the side, holding onto the metal railing in front of them. “So what’s up?”

“I’m trying to decide which thing to say first.”

His brow rose beneath his mask. “There’s more than one thing?”

“Yeah.”

“Yikes.”

She took in a deep breath. After all, things had gone well with Luka and this was Chat Noir. They’d been through a ton of weird stuff together. “Okay, so this is going to sound crazy, but I’m from the future.”

“Sure,” he nodded. 

“Chat, I am! I promise!”

He eyed her skeptically. “You’re being serious.”

“A little less than five years from now, we’re in a really bad fight with Hawkmoth and he’s got your ring.”

Chat Noir clenched his fist as if to make sure the ring was still there but didn’t reply.

“Paon was able--”

“Who’s Paon?”

Ladybug frowned. “Well, I don’t actually know. He keeps his identity a secret but he’s on our side. He’s got the Peacock Miraculous.”

“So it’s been found?”

“Yes, but that’s not the point. Paon was able to send me-- well, I guess more like my consciousness-- back here so I can change things for the better this time around,” she explained. “I also know who Hawkmoth is.”

He was quiet for a few minutes. “You promise this isn’t a joke, milady?”

She felt her heart clench. It felt like years since she’d heard him call her that. He’d picked up on her pulling away from him when she’d come back like this. She vaguely remembered them fighting before and she must’ve seemed cold afterwards because she hadn’t decided how to treat him yet and that had been the case for months now. A heavy burden of guilt settled on her shoulders but she shrugged it off. There would be time for thinking on that later.   
“I promise it isn’t, Adrien,” she whispered.

His eyes blew wide and he swallowed loudly. “You know?”

“We reveal ourselves about two years from now,” she nodded. “Or that’s how it went the first time. I think it’s probably better to get everything out in the open early this time around.”

“Five years,” he murmured. “Why so far back?”

“That was a bit of a surprise,” she admitted. “I thought I was only going back a few months. It’s taken some adjusting.”

“I would think so.” He chewed on his bottom lip. “Do I get to know who you are?”

Ladybug eyed the drop below them and scooted back a little before letting her transformation fall. She watched the shock and surprise wash over his expression and decided to bypass it as much as she could. “I’m sorry I’ve been distant. Some things happen between us in the future and I didn’t know how to act around you.”

He finally seemed to get ahold of himself. “Bad things?”

She shrugged uncomfortably. “They weren’t all good.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You haven’t done them yet.”

“Still. Just to know I hurt you...” He trailed off with a frown. “Marinette, I’m really sorry.” He blinked. “And saying your name like this felt really weird.”

“You get used to it.” She reached over and covered his hand with hers. “And I’m sorry too.”

They sat together and looked out over the city for a while before Chat Noir finally spoke again. “You said you know who Hawkmoth is.”

She pulled her transformation around her once more. “Maybe we should save that for later in the week. We have some time and this was probably enough of a surprise for one night.”

“But...” He paused. “I guess you know best, huh?”

“I don’t know about that but I’m trying anyway.” She moved to stand but he grabbed her hand. 

“Hey, would you mind staying just a little longer? I feel like it’s been ages since we just got to hang out and now that I know you’re Marinette, that feels silly since I see you everyday.”

She laughed and settled back in place. “Yeah, it can take a while to get used to.”

“Were you surprised about me?” he asked and she noted the hopeful tone in his voice.

“I’m not sure surprised covers it. I had such a huge crush on you and then I found out that I kept turning you down because I wanted to date you,” she laughed. She realized what she’d said and looked over to see his expression change into one she couldn’t quite read.

“You weren’t with Luka before, were you?”

She had the sudden urge to lie but she shook her head. “No, I wasn’t.”

He let that sink in. “Were you with me?”

The look in his eyes was too much and suddenly she was having flashes of memories from another life. “No,” she lied.


	6. Miraculous

“I never even questioned it!” Marinette threw her hands into the air as she paced the length of her bedroom. “He showed up when we needed him and I just went with it. Why would I do that?”

Tikki watched her holder spin on her heel and stalk back in the opposite direction. “Paon?” she asked.

“Yes, Paon! He just shows up, claims to have ‘found’ the Peacock Miraculous,” she did air quotes and shot the kwami a skeptical look, “and we just took him for his word.”

“Master Fu also vouched for him,” Tikki reminded her.

“Fu, smu,” she scoffed. “Doesn’t it seem suspicious that in the moment where everything was crumbling down around us and Ladybug was the only one who might be able to still makes things okay, he just throws me back into the past?” She held up a finger. “And not a few months like he told me. Five whole years, Tikki!”

“I know, Marinette. I came with you, remember?”

That seemed to give the young woman pause. “Yeah.”

“What’s bringing all of this up now anyway?”

Marinette deflated to her chaise. “I guess my talk with Chat. It kind of made me realize I’ve gone about things a little wrong.”

“Maybe you should call Luka,” Tikki suggested.

“Why?”

“Just because.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think I’d be very good company right now. I’ve got too much on my mind.”

“That’s exactly why you should call him. He knows about all this and you could maybe talk it over with him.”

“I should’ve been talking about all of this with Chat this whole time,” she sighed. “It felt so good tonight. It felt right, you know?”

Tikki frowned. “Do you think Paon is someone you already knew?”

It took Marinette a moment to change gears with the conversation. “I guess I maybe think so? He seemed to know us anyway, and in more than a ‘I’ve seen you guys on TV’ kind of way.”

“I think so too.” 

“Actually, the more I think about it, the more familiar he seems. That’s odd, isn’t it? You would think the longer I’ve been away from him...” She trailed off as her mind began to fill in the blanks. “It doesn’t make sense...”

Tikki gave her an encouraging nod. 

“Luka...” Marinette glared at her kwami. “Did you know?!”

“Yes,” she confessed. “But it doesn’t change anything, Marinette!”

“Luka’s the one who sent me all the way back here?! Why?”

“I don’t know! This wasn’t the plan. I was just as surprised as you. It was only supposed to be four months back, just before Chat Noir lost his ring.”

“Is he Paon now? Should I be looking out for the brooch?!”

“Marinette, please calm down and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

The girl glared at her and crossed her arms but kept her mouth shut.

Tikki zipped into the air nervously. “The Luka now doesn’t know anything about the Peacock Miraculous. He won’t find it for years.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“Marinette!”

“Well!”

Tikki sighed. “Paon was still figuring out the time travel powers. It’s very possible that he had every intention of sending you to the time planned and a stray thought got in the way.”

Marinette hugged herself. “A stray thought about the disaster of a double date we had?”

“Exactly,” Tikki answered, tone gentle. “It’s possible he even thinks you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. He may not have any idea we got sent back this far.” Tikki looked thoughtful. “Although now I’m not sure how we go about things. Will it cause a paradox if Luka never finds the Peacock Miraculous and sends you back in time? Because the whole reason he took it up in the first place was to help you.”

"Really?”

“I just proposed a universe-melting possibility but all you heard was the last part, huh?”

Marinette flushed. “So you’re saying that Luka’s a good guy.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Why didn’t he just tell me?”

Tikki shrugged. “At that point, you hadn’t really seen or talked to him in years. I guess he thought it was easier to show up as Paon and just help however he could.”

“But my Luka has no idea...”

“No.”

Marinette hugged herself. “I think I’m more confused than ever now.”


	7. Ice Skating

"What do you remember about our first date?”

Luka paused in lacing up his skates and looked around the ice rink. “When we were here?”

Marinette nodded.

“I remember being glad you asked me to come, confused when you seemed into Adrien,” he frowned. “But then you took the bus home with me and let me kiss your cheek and well...” The corners of his lips lifted. “Well, the rest has been really nice.” He saw her still serious expression. “Is that not what you wanted to hear?”

“I just found out something last night that is kind of messing with my head and I don’t know what to do with it.”

He finished tying his laces and stood, offering her his hand. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s going to be weird,” Marinette warned him. 

“I can deal with weird.”

“This might be the weirdest thing ever though.” They carefully stepped onto the ice and Luka supported her weight. 

“Weirder than finding out my girlfriend is mentally from five years in the future?”

“I mean, probably right at that level if not a little above.”

He guided them around the first curve. “Well, you’ve definitely got my attention, angel. What’s up?”

Marinette took in a deep breath and nodded. She still wasn’t completely steady on her ice skates when she wasn’t transformed but Luka felt strong and steady beside her. “Last night, Tikki told me that in the future, you’re Paon. You’re the one who sent me back here.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? That’s all you’ve got?”

“You know I need to be able to think for a minute, Marinette,” he said gently but there was a hint of strain to his tone.

“Right. Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” 

He guided them around the rink in two slow rounds. Marinette could feel her anxiety rising but she tried to keep a tight lid on it. Luka had proven time and again over the months that she could trust him.

“You thought you could trust Adrien too,” a voice in her head whispered. “You saw where that led.”

“Except you can still trust him. Things will be different this time,” a more hopeful cadence chimed in.

Great. She was arguing with herself. That was never a good sign. She’d had this happen a few times since she’d been sent back. It was as if her separate sets of thoughts and memories had formed some kind of uneasy alliance, flaring up at the most inopportune times.

“Did I do it on purpose?”

Marinette jumped at the sound of Luka’s voice and lost her balance. Her arms windmilled for a few seconds until he was able to steady her with two strong hands on either side of her middle.

“Do you think I did?” he added.

“I don’t know what to think,” she admitted. “Tikki doesn’t think you did it on purpose.”

“That’s something at least.”

“I don’t want to think you did it on purpose. Can we get off the ice please? I know I’m the one who brought it up but this doesn’t feel like a ‘skate around the rink’ kind of conversation.”

He nodded and guided them towards the opening. They sat down without speaking and began to unlace their skates.

“Here’s what I’m thinking,” Luka finally said. “As far as I’m concerned, as far as anyone in this timeline is concerned, we haven’t done anything except what has happened in the past from this moment.”

“Well, yeah...”

“So I think you need to hold onto your knowledge about who Hawkmoth is and how to stop him and maybe,” he paused as if looking for the right words, “maybe just try to forget the rest.”

“That’s asking a lot.”

“Maybe.”

Marinette studied her hands. “Forgetting some things wouldn’t be smart. There are reasons everything spiraled out of control. Some of the blame is mine, some of it isn’t, but I don’t think forgetting my past is the answer.”

Luka considered that. “I guess you know best.”

His words echoed in her head and she saw Chat Noir sitting beside her, his expression fighting to stay neutral as he said the same thing. She hadn’t been sure then and she wasn’t sure now but damn it, she was tired of questioning her instincts. “Yes,” she answered, “I think I do.”

He held out his hand in offering and she took it gratefully, standing and scooping up her skates. “That’s good enough for me then, angel.”


	8. Meeting with Master Fu

“This is all rather troubling,” Master Fu muttered. “You say the holder of the Peacock Miraculous was able to manipulate time?”

“And space, I suppose,” Marinette answered. “I didn’t land in the same place I left.” She grimaced. “Which was actually a really good thing, considered. I don’t know how I would’ve explained it.”

“Hmmm. That is not a skill set I’ve seen used with the Peacock.”

“Didn’t you say that there are powers we’ve yet to unlock with our MIraculous? Maybe it’s like that.”

He frowned. “I worked closely with the last Peacock holder before the brooch was lost. I know it almost as well as my own. There is one that deals with time but...” He trailed off and looked toward the phonograph that hid the Miracle Box. 

Adrien had stayed curiously quiet during their meeting and Marinette gave him a reassuring smile. He attempted to smile back but the action was lacking. 

“Are you okay?” she mouthed.

His cheeks turned pink and he nodded before looking down at his hands. “Master Fu, do you have a picture of the Peacock Miraculous I could look at?”

The old man pushed himself to his feet and retrieved his tablet. “I do. Marinette helped me scan all the pages in from the Book of Guardians when we had it in our possession last.” He pulled up the file and Adrien moved closer.

“Wait, I know this book. My father has one like it.”

Master Fu and Marinette exchanged a look. “Yes, that is where this came from.”

“I don’t understand...” Adrien trailed off as the page beginning information on the Peacock Miraculous appeared. “I’ve seen it,” he said quietly. “Or something that looks a lot like it.”

“Where?”

“I can’t...I can’t tell you that.” He stood. “I’ll go check on it though and then I can let you know.”

Marinette stood with him. “Let me come with you.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

“Adrien...”

“I’ll be okay.” He pasted on a Chat Noir smile and Marinette saw it for what it was, a mask. “Don’t worry about me, milady. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He motioned to Plagg who quickly zipped into his messenger bag and then he was gone.

“There’s more you haven’t told me,” Fu prodded. “I could see it in your eyes. You’ve revealed yourself to Chat Noir but he doesn’t know the whole truth.”

Marinette’s shoulders slumped as she sat back down. “His father is Hawkmoth,” she sighed. “In the future, Gabriel takes the ring away from him. I haven’t told him yet.”

Fu nodded. “My suspicion was correct then.”

“You thought Hawkmoth was Gabriel?” she asked in surprise. 

“I had reason to believe so, yes.”

“Wait, did you have that suspicion when you chose Adrien to be Chat Noir?” Marinette’s eyes narrowed as she saw the answer plainly on Fu’s face. “How could you do that to him?!”

“I had hoped it would be to our advantage. With the right training, Chat Noir could be ultimately more powerful than--”

“The right training?” Marinette scoffed, standing once more. “What training?! Are you kidding me?” She shook her head. “I can’t believe I let myself fall back into this with you again. You chose two kids and threw them out in the open to fight monsters, to fight their friends and family, with no training,” she accused, pointing her finger at him.

“Marinette--”

“No. Do you want to know where you are five years from now?” she asked, crossing her arms. “You disappear! You dump your Miraculous and the Miracle Box with Nino and you head for the hills. There were people dying and you were just gone.”

The look on his face was enough for her to hold back the rest of her words for a moment. “I run?” he whispered. 

“I don’t know what you did but you sure didn’t stick around. I know when I started this, I was young and naive and thought I needed your guidance but I’m not that girl anymore. I don’t feel like I’ve been her for a long time.” Her anger leaked out of her in a wave of exhaustion. “And now I can see that you’re just as broken and frightened as everyone else. If you thought giving Adrien the Black Cat was right because it could help take down his father, then you really don’t understand their relationship.” 

“No, perhaps I don’t,” he admitted. “There are a lot of things I did in haste.”

She closed her eyes as the memories flooded in. “He fails,” she said softly. “I don’t know if he’s even still alive...” She shook herself then. “Except that I do because that future is gone now.” Steely resolve glinted in her eyes. “I’m going to go find Adrien and tell him everything because he deserves to know. And then we’re going to figure out how to take Hawkmoth down together.”

Fu deflated. “Then you’ll need help.” He went to the phonograph and opened it, lifting the MIracle Box out. “Wayzz, my dear friend, I think our time together has come to an end.” 

“But Master!”

Fu held up his wrist. “I denounce your power,” he recited in a trembling voice. As soon as the kwami had been sucked inside the Miraculous, he opened the box and place it inside.

Marinette wanted to tell him to stop. She didn’t want this responsibility but... 

She took a deep calming breath. She didn’t want this responsibility but she would shoulder it until they made it through. She took the offered box and stood. “I’d like a copy of the book as well.”

“Of course.” Fu handed her the tablet. “It doesn’t do me much good anyway.”

She turned to go with her heavy burden but paused at the door, looking back. “You said there was a Miraculous that could manipulate time?” She realized how old Fu looked, how beaten down. Finding out the future wasn’t for the light of heart.

“Ah yes,” he murmured, “the Snake.”


	9. Blush

“Are you home?” Marinette adjusted her hold on the large box with the tablet balanced on top as she made her way out of Master Fu’s building, her phone tucked between her ear and shoulder.

“Yeah, I was just waiting to hear from you,” Luka answered over the line. “Something’s wrong. What’s up?”

“Can I bring some stuff to you? I’m going to have to cancel date night but I’ll tell you what I can before I have to go.”

There was a pause. “Do you need me to meet you somewhere?”

“I have something I need to get out of the public eye as quickly as possible,” she whispered, casting a worried glance around. “But I’m close to the boat. Keep an eye out for me.”

“Which ‘me’?”

Despite the situation, she felt herself smile. “Marinette, me.”

“Got it. I’ll be waiting, angel.”

____________________________

“This stuff looks important.” Luka traced his finger along the engravings on the top of the box that sat on his bed between them.

“It is,” Marinette sighed. “I need to get it to Nino but I think that’s going to have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Why Nino?”

“In my future he became the Guardian and he’s really good at it. He didn’t get a choice then though so I’m going to talk to him about it this time around. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he’ll accept. He really is perfect at it.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“I can’t cross that bridge until I get to it.”

“Good philosophy.” He studied her tense posture. “So what’s happening tonight?”

“I go find Adrien and tell him everything I haven’t yet. His father is Hawkmoth and he needs to know.”

Luka blew out a puff of air. “That’s some heavy stuff.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t suppose I could convince you to put it off until tomorrow too and try to relax a little tonight? You seem like you’ve already had a hard day.”

Marinette stood. “I better go before you can. It’d be too tempting.”

He snagged her hand. “So this is what it’s like dating a superhero, huh?”

“Some days,” she admitted.

Luka raised her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her palm. “Please be careful.”

Marinette felt as if every nerve ending in her body had been transplanted to her hand in that moment. Her face blazed with a raging blush and she had to clear her throat. “I’ll try my best,” she promised. “Keep this stuff safe for me.”

“You’ve got my word.”

She leaned down and framed his face with her hands, hoping she could pour all of her gratefulness into their kiss. As she pulled back and saw the dazed look in his eyes, she felt the words bubble up before she knew it was happening. 

“I love you,” she whispered.

Luka’s cheeks went pink and he made a soft sighing sound that stole her heart. “I love you too.”


	10. Telling Adrien

Ladybug checked a few of their usual meeting spots before resigning herself to going to the Agreste mansion. She slipped past the outside security cameras with practiced ease and balanced outside the one window with a blind spot. She could see Adrien inside his room, hunched over his desk, so she knocked lightly.

He didn’t turn around right away and even when he finally stood, he never met her gaze. He let her into his room and went to his couch without a word.

“You’re not okay,” she said softly, folding her legs under her as she sat down.

He opened his hand to show the Peacock Miraculous sitting in his palm. “My father is Hawkmoth, isn’t he?” he whispered.

“Yes.”

“Is that what you were coming to tell me?”

She nodded. “How are you?”

“I’m not sure yet.” He closed his fingers around the brooch again. “I thought he would’ve moved it from the safe since he knew I got the book from there, but there it was, still right where it had been. It’s like I wasn’t even a threat.” His fist tightened further and Ladybug reached over and pried his fingers back with gentle movements.

“Let’s prove him wrong.”

Adrien let her take the brooch without a fight. “How am I supposed to feel about this? Why is he even doing it?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes,” he answered immediately. “And no, maybe. I can’t fathom any reason good enough.”

She took a moment to gather her thoughts. “When I came back to this timeline, I let myself get distracted. I thought I was doing the right thing but now I realize I didn’t quite get it right this time either. Maybe it wouldn’t matter how many times I came back because there’s never a right way for everything.” She set the brooch on the couch between them and reached for his hand. “I want to be completely honest with you about everything I know. It isn’t going to be easy to hear though.”

Adrien considered that. “I still need to know it.”

Ladybug told him about his mother locked in a permanent sleep floors below them. She told him of his father’s plan to use both of their Miraculous to bring her back but that a wish as strong as giving life would demand an equivalent exchange. She told him what happened before, how he went to Gabriel to try to talk things through and how his ring was taken under duress. She told him of the last time she’d seen him, depressed and despondent and unwilling to open the window for her and then he was gone the next time she tried to visit and she never saw that version of him again.

She told him of that last day when Hawkmoth made his final stand. Their friends were trying to stay strong but they were failing against the onslaught of akumas. Seven years’ worth of akumas against five struggling heroes. It was never a battle they were going to win. 

And then with a blush on her face and a pain in her heart, she told him of their failed relationship. She explained how they couldn’t seem to make it last, breaking up and getting back together over and over.

“Is that why you’re with Luka now?” he asked, voice quiet.

“I’m with Luka because I love him.”

“But you loved me too, didn’t you?”

The look on his face wasn’t the harsh one she had in her memories when they’d fought before splitting the last time. The look on his face now was pained but not angry; he didn’t carry all the burdens the future Adrien had. 

“Yes,” she answered, voice just as quiet. “I loved you too.”

He chuckled but there was no humor in the sound. “You know, everything you’ve said about the future you came from sounds awful, but...but to know I got to be with you...” He trailed off with a frown. “I’ve loved you since the moment I met you.”

Ladybug wasn’t sure how to respond so she didn’t. She felt her heart clench and her first instinct was to reciprocate but she knew she couldn’t do that no matter how she was feeling in this moment. They sat in a heavy silence until Adrien spoke again.

“Are you happy with him?”

“I really am,” she answered honestly.

He nodded. “Then I’m going to try to be happy too.” He covered her hand with his and a little light creeped back into his eyes. “And after all, the future is always changing, right? Who knows what could happen down the road.”

“I don’t want you to wait for me, if that’s what you mean,” she warned. “I don’t like the thought of that.”

“That’s not what I mean,” he assured her. “I just don’t think our story is done yet. Maybe we’ll be together, maybe we won’t, but I hope you’re always in my life, Bugaboo.”

And although she still wasn’t completely convinced of his intentions, that’s what she hoped for with all of her heart too.


	11. Chapter 11

It was almost laughable how smoothly the final battle with Hawkmoth went this time around. Of course, Marinette had put in enough work to hope for it, but there had still be a seed of doubt. In the end though, they’d been victorious with surprise and intel on their side.

She’d passed out the Miraculous to Alya and Nino and Chloe and told them she trusted them enough to keep them in their possession permanently, should their defeat of Hawkmoth create a power vacuum some other villain thought they could fill. She’d talked to Nino about taking ownership of the Miracle Box and the Book of the Guardians and after thinking on it for a few days, he accepted the responsibility to keep the unused Miraculous safe. She and Adrien helped train their friends in everything they’d learned in their time as the constant saviors of Paris and the five of them worked together until they were one smooth unit.

She’d kept two Miraculous for herself, besides her earrings, when she’d handed off the box to Nino and she brought them to Luka as Ladybug late one night. He’d met her on the deck of the boat, sleepy-eyed and hair messy, with one sock missing and pillow creases on the left side of his face.

“I think I know what Future You did now,” she murmured softly, showing him the Peacock brooch and Snake bangle. “The Peacock has been dysfunctional for years. It was never fixed. You used the Snake for your power and disguised yourself as the Peacock.”

Luka yawned but tried to follow her reasoning. “Why do you think Future Me would do that?”

“I'm not really sure,” she admitted. “But it makes sense. The Snake can manipulate time. That’s not a power of the Peacock.” She shrugged. “Maybe you thought I would be more accepting of Paon because it’s one of the main seven.”

“Future Me must be pretty slick to get his hands on two Miraculous.”

“I have a feeling Master Fu was part of that plan. He was the one who vouched for you before he ran off.” She frowned then. “I’m still not sure how he got the Peacock Miraculous from Gabriel though.”

“Maybe he didn’t.”

“What?”

Luka stretched and then leaned back against the deck lounger, pulling his girlfriend with him. “If it was useless, what would be the point? Did you ever see the Peacock Miraculous on me or did I just look the part? Because thinking about it, that’s probably what’d I do. Most people only care about appearances at first anyway.”

Ladybug blinked. “I don’t...I don’t actually remember.”

“See? So I got into your good graces, had someone you trusted vouch for me, seems like a good plan.”

“Yeah, but--”

Luka placed two fingers over her lips as a smile curled across his. “Does it really matter now, angel? Apparently I wanted to help you any way I could and that’s what I did. What good does it do to dissect a future that doesn’t exist anymore?”

“No good, I guess,” she admitted, pulling his hand away.

“Our future is whatever we make it now.”

“You make things seem simple.”

He shrugged. “No reason they can’t be.”

She looked down at the two Miraculous in her hand. “Do you want the Snake now?”

Luka was quiet for a while before he finally answered. “I think...I think that maybe I would rather you hang onto it for now. If there comes a time that you need me, then all you have to do is ask, but I’m not ready to be a permanent superhero. I hope that’s okay.”

She nodded and curled against him. “As long as you don’t mind dating one.”  
____________________________

The city seemed split on the reveal of Hawkmoth as Gabriel Agreste. There were those who claimed to have known it the whole time and those who still claimed it wasn’t true despite the evidence. He was sent to jail to await his trial and Chloe convinced Adrien to take a well-needed indefinite vacation with her to an island only rich people knew about. Alya and Nino took on a sporadic patrol schedule so that the citizens could still see the heroes out and about and Marinette decided that for the first time since she’d decided to be Ladybug, she was taking a break.

She went to concerts with Luka and worked in the bakery with her parents and enjoyed the extra time in her life that she’d been given. The future was a gift and not one she planned on finding out about too early this time around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! Goodness, I didn't think I would be able to finish this in a week but I'm glad I was able to. Thank you guys so much for reading and for your kind comments! <3


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